Korea, situated between powerful neighbors - China and Japan, is often overlooked and is poorly understood by the majority of Americans. This is true despite the fact that the United States fought a major war in Korea and for more than half a century has had a continuous military presence there. Today, there are over 38,000 U.S. troops stationed in Korea. It can be said that the Cold War started in Korea and continues to this day. The connections between Korea and the United States are many and significant. For example, there are more than 1 million Korean-American citizens living in the United States today and Korean company brands have become household names throughout the United States. Recognizing the importance of Korea, Kennesaw State University (KSU) has designated the 2009-2010 academic year as the Year of Korea.

The Year of Korea aims to help the KSU community develop a greater appreciation for and understanding of Korea’s rich history and importance in the modern world. During the fall semester, most of the lectures will address historical topics, introducing our audiences to some of the deeply ingrained cultural values and norms of Korean society including Confucian and Buddhist influences. In the spring semester, the series will address more contemporary issues such as Korea’s role as a place of innovation developing cutting edge technologies; the Korean Wave pop culture that is famous throughout Asia and beyond; the role of Korean-Americans in building transnational bridges between the United States and Korea; the likelihood of reunification of the Korean peninsula and the current state of affairs in North Korea; and many other topics.

If you have any questions related to the program, please contact Dr. Dan Paracka or Ms. Maggie Scott at 770-423-6336.